Cursed
by splintered
Summary: Taichi—every time he “uses” magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it’s too late? Yamachi/Taito. COMPLETED.
1. Teaser

Summary: Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

Disclaimer: _splintered_ does not own_ Digimon._ She's only using the characters for her personal use.

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

An unconscious body lay beneath the trees. Motionless, it looked like a sleeping angel. Even though the messy brown hair was spread across the Odaiba public park lawn had twigs in it. Even though the clothes were dirty and torn as nature played with the sleeves' fabric. The boy himself looked oddly tranquil and beautiful as if he was just resting on this particular summer day. Someone else knew better.

Yamato grew restless when Tai didn't show up at his house on time. Normally, this slight tardiness wouldn't bother anyone else as the brunette was famous for his inability to keep on schedule, but Yamato knew better. The blonde also knew about Tai's condition, and couldn't help the sickening feeling that something was wrong. Grabbing his keys, the blonde left his apartment at a quarter to one...

Although the trees' natural camouflage would have generally made the find a difficult task for any sane or normal person, Yamato easily spotted the comatose brunette at their favorite park, hidden among the greenery. Of course, Yamato was neither sane nor normal. Everything was always different when Taichi was involved and it seemed that the blonde had a special knack for noticing the brunette. It was as if everything concerning Taichi had its own frequency that only Yamato was tuned into. The way that Taichi would light up a room with his irresistible smile and animated gestures. The graceful ease that Taichi would charm the people around him. Yamato noticed it all. In fact, the blond had a hard time _not _paying attention to the brunette who always seemed to occupy his mind. It was definitely Taichi who made him insane to a point that was definitely not normal. And this particular day was no different.

"Taichi!" he cried as he approached the brunette, shaking him roughly. "Taichi, answer me!" The other's harsh voice eventually forced the brunette to surrender his gaze. The amazed golden brown eyes were greeted by a worried blond.

Yamato was relieved that Tai's beautiful face remained unmarred, but even as the brown-eyed beauty opened his eyes, Yamato had no way of knowing how long the brunette had been out this time. "Tai," the blonde asked more gently this time. "Have you been 'using' again?"

The brunette blinked a couple of times, only returning a blank stare.

Yamato almost cried as he stared at his friend's unfocused eyes. The fact that Tai didn't look like his normally bubbly self was answer enough. "Tai, don't do this to yourself." _Don't do this to_ _me_, the blonde wanted to say. But Yamato found that he couldn't get the words out.

Meanwhile Tai tried to explain, but it felt like he had a large sock wedged in the corner of his mouth. He knew what he wanted to say, but as always, it probably didn't come out that way. Still, in his own mind, it sounded something like, "You see...there was this little girl at the park. She was being bullied and I just had to..." Although Tai knew that the rest of the explanation was mostly lost between a jumble of words that didn't make much sense, Tai also knew that the blond understood the gist of it. He didn't know why exactly--although Yama said it was because he knew Tai for long enough to understand all his 'Tai-isms' (but then again, his other friends, who have known him just as long if not longer, didn't understand even half as well as Yama did) --Only Yama seemed to understand when the rest of the world didn't.

Yamato tried to remain neutral. He really_ tried_...but somehow, his emotions always got involved when Taichi had something to do with things. "You'll just pay for the consequences later," Yamato accusingly. But Yama didn't know who he was blaming more: Tai for being...well, 'Tai' or himself for not doing a better job at protecting the brunette.

"I know," the brunette said solemnly, "but isn't it better for them to have their happiness than for me to have mine..." Tai let the words trail off, purposefully leaving what he really wanted to say out. _...especially when I know that I'm already a hopeless cause,_ he finished the rest of the sentence inside his head.

"Taichi—" Yamato's stance was protective as always as he hovered above Taichi's fallen form.

"Don't," Tai protested, wincing slightly as he tried to get up... Only to find that he couldn't. He hated this feeling of helplessness--although he knew he should be used to it by now-- knowing full well that people could never get used to some things. This weakness was one of such things. Although he knew that it would take time for him to regain his strength, he also knew that he would never regain his full strength again. This 'thing'...this 'curse'...this 'disease'...whatever it was... It was killing him slowly. "It's better for everyone else to have their happiness and leave me like this."

Yamato sighed. "Everyone's not Hikari." _Hikari-- _Tai's younger sister. The one that Tai couldn't save. The one who died. Although that was years ago when it happened, Yamato could tell that the incident still messed the boy up. _Not much has changed since then,_ Yamato reasoned. Tai still tried to hide everything behind a smile-- that seemingly effortless smile that never left his face. Still, Yamato knew full well that that 'effortless mask' took work and years of practice. Nevertheless, Yamato could still plainly see the pain hidden underneath. It was the smile only shown for the benefit of others. And then Taichi's words came tumbling down again-- the words that Tai only admitted to Yama, the blonde knew, even when the words hurt Taichi himself.

"I'm cursed, Yama. Isn't it better for you to stay away?"

And then, the blond would always respond with his usual answer. "You know that I can't stay away from you."

"Still...I want you to at least make an effort to try." Taichi didn't want Yamato to get hurt either. In truth, Tai didn't know what he would do without the protective blond by his side. _It would definitely be worse to lose him, _Taichi decided as he let the taller blonde wrap his familiar arms around him. Large muscular arms that easily swallowed his brunette's thinner frame.

_TBC?_

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**Author's Note:** So what do you think? I know that I have to update my other fics, but this was just a little teaser that I had to get out of my head by writing it down, of course. I'm not yet sure on how this connects to anything so I'm sorry for the confusion...Wait, before I apologize, I should ask, 'Did anyone found the above fic confusing?' Any input will help. :)

Well, I'm not sure if I'm continuing this just yet so I won't give too much away, but if I do work things out in my head, I promise that stuff will be explained more thoroughly. And just so you know, reviews work wonders when convincing someone to continue a fic. So thank you for reading and please drop by with a review, yeah? Just click the purple button...

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	2. For Now

**Summary:** Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

**Disclaimer**: Owns neither Digimon nor any of its characters.

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

He didn't know how much longer they stayed like that in the quiet comfort of a hug, but Taichi knew that it was always felt safer in Yama's arms. His Yama would always try to protect him, even if his Yama didn't even know how to begin. (One couldn't exactly protect someone from a supernatural force, could they?) But Taichi appreciated his friend for trying. '_Just being here is enough,'_ the brunette would continue to insist. The continual warmth and distinct smell that was Yama lured his senses as he slowly regained his strength.

"Can you walk?" Yamato asked after a while. The blonde didn't question his friend any further as they fell into the familiar pattern of Taichi getting hurt and Yamato being there. _And this is nice._ _It was nice to be needed,_ Yamato thought._ God knew that I have enough problems at home in the past, _Yamato thought as he remembered the discrepancies he had with his father before he really got to know Taichi....

_Yamato fumbled with the house keys, barely noticing the car in his driveway. All he could think about was how nice it would be to collapse in the nice, warm bed. Now, if he could only get past the parental authority then he'd be home---_

"_Where were you?" Hiroaki Ishida's tired voice floated lazily from the sofa. _

_---free. The blonde stiffened at the sound of his father's voice. _Damn. Too late_, Yamato sighed. _Well, so much for trying to sneak in unnoticed...

"_Hi, Dad," Yamato said uneasily, "when did you get home?"_

"_Oh, sometime around eight...then I find out that my son's not home and didn't even leave a note or anything. Is your cell phone dead?"_

"_Well, no, but..."_

"_So, you just turned it off."_

_At least Yamato had the decency to _look _ashamed, if that meant anything at all._

_So," his father prompted, "where were you?"_

"_I was in the park, okay?"_

"_It's almost midnight," Hiroaki sighed, pointing to the clock resting on the mantel. "You could have at least called."_

"_I didn't know anyone would be home," Yamato said coldly._

"_Yamato," his father pleaded. "You know I try, but sometimes..."_

"_Yeah...sometimes it just gets too hard. Too hard to _try _to act like a father. Too hard to _try _to keep a marriage together with your wife. When's the last time you even talked to mom, huh? You know, the d-word doesn't just mean you guys can't stay friends. And I can still see Takeru, right?"_

"_Yamato...you know I love you. And I love Takeru, but your mother and I are just working out things between us. I'm sorry about the move, but you'll make new friends."_

"_Yeah, yeah, I know." He could have left it at that. In fact, he _should _have left it at that, but sometimes, one lacks proper judgment, no matter how much one _tries_. "Well, shove it, Dad. You could just shove it up your---"_

"_I-shi-da Ya-ma-to," Hiroaki reprimanded, trying to keep his anger in check. It would do neither any good if Hiroaki really strangled his eight-year-old son like he wanted to. So instead, he went for the weaker demand. "That's no way to talk to your father." No one ever said that parenting was easy. _

"_Father," Yamato laughed insanely. "I have no father." Oh God, he should really get some sleep._

_And that's just what he did. Sleep, knowing full well that he would have to clean up his 'word vomit' _(1)_ in the morning, while another whispered familiar words as he slept...._

"_Yamato...you know I love you." An attractive blonde woman said as Yamato noted her imperfect cosmetics. Light blue eye shadow that in theory, accented her eyes---beautiful blue eyes that were without their usual twinkle. Cherry red lips revealed a chipped tooth and a strained smile. Her long blonde bangs fell haphazardly in her face, hiding the blotched tears. The familiar flawed face of his mother haunted his dreams, or rather... his memories. _

_The seven-and-a-half-year-old version of Yamato nodded as his mother hugged him, muttering words of comfort. How ironic because she was the one who was leaving...the one causing all the pain. And she would be taking Takeru with him. _

_ "It's gonna be okay. It's gonna get better. You'll see." _

_Tighter and tighter, she hugged him. After all, she needed this more than he did. _

"_It's only for a little while....only until things settle down...I'll come and visit, you'll see."_

_Tighter and tighter, the arms wrapped around him like two long flesh colored snakes constricting his air flow. He couldn't breathe._

"_Be a good boy for your father, okay?" she smiled. _

_Again, he nodded._

"_Yamato...you know I love you," she repeated. And those where the last words she told him before she left. _

_ And just like Yamato's mother, Hiroaki Ishida was gone the next morning. A note lay on the kitchen counter. _

_--  
_

_ ' I'm sorry, Yamato....I love you. Be good,_

_---Dad _

_P.S. Money for food is under the clock. I'll be back in a week. '_

_ Just like that, Yamato was left to deal with the nightmare alone. Alone with nothing but that and the gnawing fear that the next person who said they loved him would leave him. _Well, _Yamato mused, _at least I have Tai now. Tai needed him even when no one else did. And even though they had long moved past the months of rebellious Yamato who hated Hiroki because he refused to talk to his wife and mother (an eight-year-old couldn't hold a grudge for very long, Yamato found) and Yamato had long reconnected with his brother Takeru after Hiroki had mended his relationship with his ex-wife, Tai still needed him. Or maybe Yamato needed Tai.

"I think so..." the brunette replied timidly, surveying the hard look in Yamato's eyes. It was a mixture of sadness and bitterness, and perhaps one also one of regret—a myriad of it possible to feel so much, Taichi wondered, surveying his boyfriend's expressive blue eyes. But at the same time, it wasn't the hard look that confused Tai. It was the soft look in Yamato's eyes that did. Was it possible to feel so many contradictory emotions?

"Yama? Yaaaaa-maa? Are you still there?"

"Huh?" Yamato surfaced from the memories. The first thing he noticed was Taichi's worried face. "I'm sorry," he apologized. He always apologized. One would think that Taichi had him whipped, but, of course, that wasn't _really _the case.

"It's _okay._"

"No it's not," the blonde replied fiercely. "What if I really lost you this time?"

"But I'm right here," the brunette smiled, gently wiping the tears off Yamato's face. Tears that Yamato didn't know he had. _Had he really been crying? When was the last time he cried?_ Yamato didn't had always prided himself in keeping his cool. But then again, wasn't it Taichi who always evoked the strangest emotions?

"Yama? I'm fine."

_For now... _the blonde added silently._ But then...it wasn't easy... then when I met you...._

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**Author's Note: **

To be continued? Possibly... Reviews sure help. -hint- -hint- Right now, I'm hating the format. I wanna indent, damnit! And thank you **krad, AngelSachiya, Courage Sun, DarkMetalAngel of Destruction, ImmaLeach, Crazy PurpleSage, **and **nikigrl-123** for reviewing. For all of those wondering "what is it that Tai actually does"...well, I guess you have yet to find out...if you even do. -evil grin- And I think I fixed that one run-on from the last chapter...Anyways, thank you for reading and putting up with me. I would _love_ it if you drop by with a review.

**Other notes:**

(1) _Mean Girls _reference. I don't like Lindsey Lohan, but who hasn't seen that movie?

CHAPTER EDITED: 01/17/09


	3. Sun and Moon

**Summary:** Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

**Disclaimer**: Owns neither Digimon nor any of its characters.

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

_For now... _the blonde added silently._ But then...it wasn't easy... then when I met you...._

* * *

It happened not long after the dreaded "D-word." (Yamato preferred not to mention the "divorce" around the house. Consequently, the infamous "D-word" got its name.) Hiroaki Ishida had decided to move, as his former living quarters reminded him too much of his ex. So, as Yamato figured, it was Dad's fault that they moved to Odaiba. It was Dad's fault that Yamato was in his current situation. _It's Dad's fault---_coupled with the fact that _he, _Yamato Ishida, didn't know his way around a new town well enough---but Yamato mostly liked to think that it was "Dad's fault." _It's much easier that way_, the blonde decided, shoving the guilt down his throat as...

"Give it up, Blondie." Oh, he hoped he wouldn't throw up. That would only make things worse...as large rough hands forcefully grabbed at his shoulders. He struggled, of course, trying to pull away from the larger boy's grip, but he soon noticed, the more he struggled, the tighter the grip became. "Give it," his tormenter demanded once again, shaking 'Blondie' roughly by the shoulders. The blonde just whimpered in response, sure that his poor shoulders would already be red and raw by now. He hated how easily his pale skin bruised and of course, the thought that this boy's handprints would be imprinted on his shoulders didn't please the blond.

"Aww, I bet he doesn't have anything," his companion whined. For a moment, the Yamato's attention shifted from his tormentor to the tormentor's friend. He was definitely the taller of the two, the blonde observed. Whereas the boy who held him by his shoulder blades was shorter and stockier, the boy's partner was taller and thinner. And he also seemed to hold a position of authority. "C'mon, Trey, let's go."

Or not. "Do you have any money, Blondie?" the bully demanded once again, making no sign that he heard his friend. "Answer me!"

"C'mon, Trey, I'm bored."

"No, this is _my_ park," Trey reasoned. "I'm not letting Blondie go until I get my pay."

"But I don't have any money," the blonde whimpered, finally finding his voice. Seeing a chance for survival, his clear blue eyes shot Trey's friend a pleading look. 'Help me,' he mouthed.

Trey's friend smirked as he watched the helpless blonde. "Well..." he paused, as if he was thinking about the tough decision that lay before him. To agree or disagree? That is the question. "Suit yourself," he finally said, his Cheshire grin stealing whatever conscience he may have previously had. "I think I'll just sit here and enjoy the show." True to his words, Trey's friend found himself a comfortable patch of grass.

Meanwhile, the Yamato's hope vanished as Trey's predatory grin matched that of his friend's. "But...but I don't have any money," the blonde spluttered, repeating himself, pleading his case.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you entered our territory."

"Yeah, what he said," Trey agreed, his grin revealing crooked yellowed teeth.

The Yamato closed his eyes tightly as he held back a scream. He was too young to die! What about all the stuff he still wanted to do? His body visibly tensed under the other's cruel glare. The spooky smile illuminated Trey's features as he watched his prey tremble. 'Blondie' actually shook, heart racing, feeling week to his knees, anticipating the blow...

The blow never came. The blonde opened one eye slowly as he spotted another boy about his age...if not younger. Wild chestnut hair...smooth tanned skin, and that bright maniacal grin. "Hey, you two! Pick on someone your own size!" That smile...it was so bright...like the sun. _Like the sun on a cloudy day... you keep on hoping it would appear. _The blonde always liked the sun.

"Like you," what's-his-name smirked. "You're even smaller than 'Blondie' over here."

"Well, you can pick on me, if you want...that is, if you leave _him _alone." That voice...it was reassuring, but it was almost suicidal. But then again, saving him from these two creeps would be probably involve a certain death. The blonde's brunette savior certainly didn't look like much compared to the other two. Size was only _one_ of the factors that the bullies had to their advantage...And they knew it to. But, Yamato sighed, his brunette savior sure was beautiful. Someone else seemed to agree.

"My pleasure," Trey replied, sensing a new victim for his games. "Hey, you sure are pretty," he directed his comment at the brunette.

The blonde snarled. The reason? The blonde wasn't so sure. Maybe it was because Trey's grip seemed to tighten for a second. Or maybe that was just the weight that his heart suddenly felt. For some reason, he didn't _want _to see this strange boy---his unlikely protector---get hurt.

"'Blondie' here, wasn't much fun anyways," Trey continued with his insensitive degrading remarks. The blonde felt the hand on his shoulder relax as Trey tried to make use of his threat. However, the brunette certainly had other ideas in mind. _Perhaps it's true,_ the blonde later mused, _you reap what you sow. _But then, where did that leave Taichi? There was no way that he deserved all the things that he got...

Yamato didn't know who landed the first punch. He just knew that suddenly, the two of them were on the smaller brunette, wrestling him to the ground. And just as suddenly, the two were chasing after him blindly---he had them running after him in circles...as Yamato was left behind in the dust, watching in amazement.

"Run," the brunette mouthed as he freed himself for a minute---as Yamato stood staring, gaping at the magnificence. "Run," he warned again.

The blonde shook his head stupidly. "Not without you."

"Don't worry about m---"

_Watch out! Behind you!_ The warning clung to his throat as he watched Trey grab hold of the brunette from behind. Trey's friend blocked the brunette's path in the front. The two mountain trolls (well, the bullies were certainly as ugly and as mountain trolls) had him surrounded! Yamato cursed himself for distracting the brunette---the brunette who seemed to know what he was doing.

The brunette ducked, pivoting ninety degrees before he dived against into the ground and tumbling precariously around the two's feet. .

_Ouch, _Yamato winced._ That's got to hurt. _The brunette's skin reddened in the spots where his body collided with someone's foot. Spots that he knew would bruise.

"Did we get 'im?"

"Yeah," Trey laughed stupidly, knowing his work well enough to know that the victim wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. Much to his surprise, the brunette moved.

"Wait...where is he?" his friend asked nervously.

"Miss me," the brunette smirked delivered a flying kick at Trey's side. His foot connected with enough impact that Yamato thought he heard a crack. Then the brunette agilely landed on his feet, his knees slightly bent to support his fall. The other attempted to flee escape but he wasn't fast enough. The brunette clung to his leg in a measly tackle. Although weight wasn't enough to bring the other boy down (how much damage could an eight-year-old do anyways?), the brunette did succeed in tripping the older teen. The two lay sprawling on the ground, as Yamato watched, stupefied that the brunette could bring down, not only one, but two teens that were twice his size and more than three times his body weight.

The bully laughed as he slowly got up. "That all you can do?" he jeered, not winded at the least, as Trey was doing most of the dirty work before. "Heh heh," he chuckled as he towered over the brunette. "Aren't you scared?"

The brunette shook his head vehemently. A fiery passion continued to burn in his eyes as he too rose to his feet, brushing himself off. Yamato admired the kid's growing aura of confidence against the inevitable. Any normal person would have peed his pants by now and ran. Yamato sure would have...that is...if that strange boy wasn't here. Even if he couldn't make himself help fight, Yamato couldn't quite make himself leave either. He wanted to be here, just in case something really _did _happen to the brunette. He didn't know why he cared, though. After all, the brunette was just a stranger to him---a stranger who happened to save him from two bullies.

Even if the brunette wasn't worried as he stood defiantly under the bully's glare, the other seemed to shrink a little. "Jesus, he's just a little kid," the bully muttered to himself. But there was something unsettling about the kid's eyes. Those golden brown eyes didn't show even one ounce of fear. Who knew what this kid was capable of? After all, this little _kid did _take down his friend. And he _knew _that Trey didn't go down easily. "Christ, he's just a kid," he muttered again as he ran.

The brunette stood confidently as the other fled. That grin returned as he raised his arms, cutely flashing two victory signs like an Olympic gymnast who just finished her routine. His smile glowed brightly like the sun. _Even on a rainy day, you can always count on the sun to shine whether it be on the next day or the day after next... you can always count on the sun..._

"How did you do that?" Yamato asked, as he finally found his voice.

"Magic," the strange boy replied with that huge grin of his. That crazy smile lighted his whole face, a crazy twinkle even reaching his eyes like...magic. And so that's what they still called it, years later...

"You're insane," the blonde returned the grin, "to take on two of them at once. You could have been killed...not that I'm not grateful, of course," he added as an afterthought. But the other boy never heard him---his lidded eyes gently closing as he fainted. "I'm Yamato, by the way. Yamato Ishida."

The blonde paused, suddenly realizing that the other boy wasn't responding.

"Hey, hey!" Yamato suddenly grabbed at the strange boy's shirt, catching the other just before he hit the ground, and laying him tenderly on the grass.

"Hey, wake up!" Yamato's hands desperately roamed the other's body. Under other circumstances, he would have enjoyed what he found. The brunette wasn't really as scrawny as he looked---small, but _definitely _not scrawny. But, now, as Yamato frantically searched for a pulse, the blonde only hoped that he would be able to thank, and maybe even repay, this strange beauty.

The blonde was rewarded with a faint but steady beating, which calmed his frayed nerves. Later, he was rewarded more so, with the brunette's company, however brief this encounter became. Meanwhile, Yamato admired the resting form of his rescuer. How his chest rose and fell with each breath that proved that the brunette was, indeed, alive. How the brunette had captured him with his wild grin, revealing a perfectly row of pearly white teeth. How the brunette's quick form....How the brunette's sweet fragrance---- The brunette slowly stirred.

"Welcome to the land of the living," Yamato greeted him, as groggy honey brown eyes turned to him in what must have been hours later.

The brunette moaned slightly as he attempted to move.

"Hey, are you okay?" the blonde asked, concern evident on his face and in his voice.

"I'm fine," he other answered tersely, shifting again into a different position. "This," he gestured to his current state, "happens all the time."

"What is _'this'_?" Yamato smiled, slightly amused at the other boy's wild gesticulations now that he knew that the other was fine---or at least that's what _he _had said, hadn't he?

Suddenly, the kid looked more alert---almost _frightened---_as his body tensed under the blonde's smile. "I...I..I'm n-n-not supposed to tell you," the brunette stuttered, his voice growing softer as he hastily got up. For a second, it looked like he was going to fall, as his slim body swayed slightly, but quickly, he regained his composure.

It was only after the kid ran away that Yamato realized that he didn't even know the kid's name. In fact, Yamato barely caught the boy's whispered fleeing words---almost like a mantra. Or it could have even been an apology.

"_You shouldn't have seen me...I can't....I'm not right. I'm not right. I'm not right..." _

The boy's words repeated themselves in Yamato's mind---haunted him until the next time they met. _Maybe he was like the moon, _Yamato mused_, and not the sun. The moon is like the sun in every which way, except her shadow is cast upon the night. A bright pale glimmer that is ever changing overshadowed under the sun's image---a cursed beauty that only shows itself at night. _

_TBC?  
_

_

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_

**Author's Notes:**

Well, this is certainly not Shakespeare and his, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" but Romeo does swear by the moon as he compares Juliet's beauty to both sun and moon. Not exactly what I was going for, but hopefully, all the sun and moon metaphors and "Yamato's musings" worked.

Anyways, enough of my babbling. Thank you **Courage Sun, AngelSachiya, Krad,** and **YkittyH **for reviewing. Your reviews encourage me to write and I absolutely** love** to read what you think. I'm glad you guys liked it. I'm never quite sure if I make things too fluffy or if I make it too angsty or if I just go overboard in the emotions area or if I don't put enough descriptions in. I'm absolutely anal when it comes to editing, but mistakes just always have a tendency to slip in. Hopefully this chappie explains more than it confuses. Everyone understands that most of this chapter is told in flashback, right? Okay, good, my job is done. Well, let me know if you have any questions and if things don't make sense! Of course, I can't reveal everything at once, can I? Hehe. And thank you for reading and please drop by with a review. Comments are all appreciated!

P.S. No offense to any LL fans for my last comment. I do respect her as an actress even if I don't quite agree with some of her decisions as a person. And yes, I have seen _Mean Girls, Freaky Friday,_ and _The Parent Trap. _

_--_

_EDITED: 01/17/09  
_


	4. Distance

**Summary:** Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

**Disclaimer**: Owns neither Digimon nor any of its characters.

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

_--_

By the time Yamato got home from the park, it was almost midnight and his father was waiting for him. Then his father had to leave for a business trip for the week. But still, Yamato kept preoccupied thinking about the boy with the most hauntingly beautiful eyes. The way the browns and golds ran into each other. The way he could get lost in the other's stares. But despite their beauty, there was something very unsettling about them. Yamato had seen the look that the brunette had given the bully. It was like something was missing---and it sorta frightened him. And also the way that the boy reacted afterwards. The words..._"I'm not right. I'm not right." _That was definitely not normal, the eight year old knew. Yamato sighed. For the past few weeks, he couldn't get that strange boy out of his head. _And I don't even know his name..._

The blond sighed again as he sat behind his father's desk. His father had come home just in time for "Take Your Child to Work Day," and consequently, Yamato had decided to forgive his father for not making up with his mom.

"What's wrong with you?" Hiroaki Ishida asked as he briefly turned away from the computer to stare at his son. He knew their relationship was shaky at best. The boy had taken the separation so hard---often refusing to talk. "Yamato?" he tried again.

_I never did get a chance to thank him, did I?_ The blond thought, as he continued to think about the incident that preoccupied his mind. _I wonder who he is...if I'll ever see him again..._

"Yamato, are you there son?" he asked awkwardly.

Yamato blinked, finally realizing that he father was talking to him. "Yeah, Dad?"

"Uh," Hiroaki paused, trying to figure out what to say. He was never good with this fathering business. God, she was so much better at this than he was... He finally settled for a general neutral question. "...are you okay?"

"Yeah, Dad," the eight-year-old answered, puzzled at his father's sudden question. His father didn't talk much. It was "Take your Kid to Work Day" and so far, his father had just made a few grunts and comments. Maybe his old man was trying to explain what he was doing, but so far, Yamato didn't make little sense of it. Even if his dad was trying to explain his work, Yamato paid little attention. The strange brunette still preoccupied his mind.

"Um...Yamato..." Hiroaki mentally sighed. Perhaps it was time for that talk. "...Yamato," he began again. "You know that the thing with your mother and I...it was a mutual disagreement...uh, our divorce. It wasn't your fault...and I don't want you to feel like it was your fault." Didn't the therapist say that sometimes children blamed themselves for these things?

"I know, Dad," Yamato answered nonchalantly. "I know it wasn't because of me," the boy reassured him.

"Good," Hiroaki sighed in relief, but such relief only lasted momentarily. If the boy wasn't troubled about the divorce, then what did trouble the boy? He knew that from the way the boy scrunched his brow, the boy was thinking awfully hard about something. Hiroaki racked his brain. Could it be...a girl? Did boys even think about girls at this age? Hiroaki knew that at this age, he still thought that all girls had cooties...but then again, Yamato had always been mature for an eight-year-old. It must be a girl, Hiroaki finally decided. But unfortunately for him, that was another conversation that he wasn't prepared to discuss. How could he discuss girl troubles to his son when he was dealing with them himself? Instead, Hiroaki did was he knew best. He delved back into his work.

"You see, Yamato, this is the...." He pointed at the computer screen as the boy absently nodded.

He knew he was a workaholic, but it was so much _easier_ this way. Perhaps that's what got him into so much trouble in the first place.

--

"Hey, what's going on?" a man in a business suit yelled at the big burly police officer holding the crowd back, annoyed at the sudden hold up. He didn't know why the police officer wasn't letting the crowd cross because the traffic light was clearly red, signaling a safe crossing. And if he was going to be late for work, he would at least like to know why. Others seemed to agree with him as more shouts and obscenities were heard.

"Please, sirs, if you would calm down," the traffic police said rather calmly, whistle in his hand. "There has been an accident."

The man looked alarmed as he looked around, finally realizing the size of the crowds around them. He certainly didn't see any cars gone awry. With four traffic lights and two traffic police, he couldn't see how there could be any accidents in Odaiba's busiest intersection. However, he did see a woman behind him, clutching her baby, muttering soothing words to the infant's shrieks. He saw those around him gasp as they pointed and shouted (rather loudly) in his ear. He felt the crowd push against him, as he did the same, each trying to get a better view at the front. He felt the crowd's shoves, as someone elbowed him rather hardly in the ribs. He felt himself lose grip of his briefcase as he was jostled along with the crowd. He saw the drivers in the front of the vehicles as puzzled as he was. He heard the policeman's whistle as he repeatedly tried to quiet the crowd. He heard a distant siren grow louder and louder. He heard and saw and felt commotion and he finally figured out why.

While Yamato Ishida was sitting in an office building with his father, three floors below him, the strange brunette lay bleeding on the asphalt in one main intersection.

"Please, calm down," the big burly police man tried again as he looked at his partner for help.

Alice shook her head sadly as she paid more attention to the boy while Bob dealt with the crowd. The boy's condition didn't look so good. Sure, the boy was breathing---even if it was rather hard and labored---, but from the awkward angle that the boy had landed, it didn't take someone from the medical field to conclude that something was definitely broken. The boy's leg was probably twisted, the female officer concluded as she watched the contorted expression of agony on the boy's face. Not to mention his head...The boy did fall rather hard and Alice was sure that she had felt something sticky as she ran her hand through his soft brown hair. _Would the boy know who he was when he woke up? _the woman wondered.

She was glad when the ambulance finally showed up. _And he's so young too...he couldn't be older than eight...and even that's a stretch. He must be even younger than my own son. _She watched as the medical personnel tore her away from the boy, her motherly instinct went out for him. He was so small...so pale...against the stretcher as the two people carried him into the car.

"Alice." She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Relax." She suddenly realized how tense she actually was throughout this whole ordeal.

"Relax," Bob repeated. He sounded tired, probably from pushing the crowd back. "He wasn't Tom."

Alice breathed in a sigh of relief. Afterwards she felt guilty for being happy. Even if the boy wasn't her own son, the beautiful brunette boy must have belonged to somebody.

--

"Dad?"

"Hmm..." Hiroaki answered as he continued filing his paperwork. He did get a lot of paperwork.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Hiroaki turned to find that he son wasn't sitting by his desk anymore. No, instead Yamato was standing by the giant glass window looking down at the flashy lights, the crowd, and...Yamato couldn't be sure, but that boy looked awfully like the one who he had been thinking about...and if it was...that's twice that he has seen him...and both times, the brunette had been hurt...

Yamato turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder, realizing that his father had left his work. He felt his father's grip tighten around his shoulder in almost a hug. "You know I love you, right?" There was something so troubling in watching a hurt child. It makes one realize that there is more to life than just work.

Yamato nodded before answering, staring outside the window as the ambulance and the sirens took the brunette away. "But what about that boy?" he finally asked. "Do you think there is someone who loves him too?"

Hiroaki stared long and hard at his son, wondering how to answer the boy. He could go with a little white lie the way most people did, but Hiroaki felt that Yamato could handle the truth. "I don't know. I _really_, honestly don't know."

--

TBC?

* * *

**Author's Note: **Don't you love it when you have a million things you're supposed to be doing and you're writing a fic instead? Yeah, I know the feeling really well. And some of the things I'm supposed to be doing are really important too... Anyways, you're glad that I updated, right? I hope you are, even if it has been a while. As always, I would love to hear from you. Thank you **krad, Courage Sun, **and for reviewing the last chapter. Even though, this chapter may confuse more than answer any questions... Well, thank you all for reading and reviewing. I really hope to hear from you...even if I can't promise any timely updates, I hope you will be patient and more than willing to keep reading this fic.

--

EDITED: 01/17/09


	5. Up and Down

Summary: Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

--

"_For further news, the unidentified brunette boy of about seven or eight is still in severe critical condition at the Odaiba Hospital. As many may recall, the boy was found in the middle of the Odaiba intersection last week. Spectators have said that they have seen the boy fall from a four story building, but police have not been able to place anyone at the crime... If anyone has more information of the identity of the boy or more information concerning the unseen assailant, please call..."_

The strange brunette boy was still on the six o'clock news. The blond news lady always said the same thing. It wasn't her fault, Yamato figured. But couldn't the police do anything? Didn't the boy have anybody to care for him? Yamato shivered at the thought. He could still remember the haunted golden brown eyes from weeks ago.

"Yamato, it's okay," Hiroaki sighed and he ruffled his son's blond hair. He felt his son's hand painfully tighten around his arm. For an eight-year-old, Yamato sure had a strong grip, Hiroki thought absently. "Yamato," Hiroki sighed again, shaking his head ever so slightly. If he had it his way, Yamato wouldn't even be watching the six o'clock news. There was some scary stuff out there. But Yamato was insistent. And Hiroki was a huge softie. So Yamato sat next to him and watched the news.

But for some strange reason that Hiroki didn't understand, Yamato was fixated on that boy. At first, Hiroaki figured that since the other boy was about the same age as his son, Yamato was scared. Hell, Hiroaki was uneasy as well, but for another reason. He was a parent. He had every right to be... This case hit too close to home... But the questions that Yamato was asking... They were out-of-character for the stoic boy he knew. Yes, Yamato might be scared, but there was another aspect to it. It was almost like Yamato cared deeply for the boy. He cared what would happen to the child. He needed to know. And he was obsessive over it. Yamato would stop watching cartoons as soon as the news came on---watching and listening attentively. This was very peculiar for a boy his age, right? Hiroaki didn't start "tuning in" to the news until he was at least three years older than Yamato was.

So then Hiroaki assumed that the brunette went to Yamato's school. Yamato must have known this boy from somewhere. After all, Yamato didn't take too keenly to strangers. Hiroaki knew that much about his son. But when Hiroaki mentioned the case to the teachers at last night's parent teacher conferences, the teacher just looked at him strangely. "Yes, it's a sad, tragic thing to happen to any eight-year-old, but that boy on the news doesn't go to our school," the teacher had said. "But poor boy...to think that there's a child out there---hurt---and there's not even a parent there to stand by him." Yamato seemed to share similar thoughts.

Hiroaki felt tugging on his sleeve, realizing that he had been ignoring his son. "Hey, daddy...do you think that we could visit him?" Hiroaki almost choked.

"Visit him?" Hiroaki repeated. The next thing he knew, Hiroaki was at the Odaiba Hospital asking for the brunette boy on the news.

---

The green squiggly lines moved up and down, almost forming little triangles, as Yamato watched in fascination. He knew that somehow, the moving lines and the periodic beepings of the machine stood for life, no matter how mechanic everything looked. And if the green squiggly line stopped moving up and down, that meant something very bad. That meant, the boy was—

"Mmmngg." A muffled groan muffled interrupted Yamato's thoughts as he looked for the source of the sound. His blue eyes shifted to the small lump wrapped in the white hospital sheets. _Could it be...? _The blankets shifted again. _The strange boy..._ The blonde leaned in—closer and closer. _Did that mean?_ The strange brunette's breath tickled his blonde felt his heartbeat grow louder and louder in anticipation. Suddenly, his throat felt very dry. ...but he had to see. He had to see if the boy was...

And suddenly, Yamato found himself staring into the very large, honey-brown eyes that had haunted his dreams.

--

The next thing he knew, Yamato found himself in front of the nurse's station where his father seemed to be talking to one of the nurses. "The boy," Yamato pulled on his father's arm. "He just woke up." The nurse's green eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?" she smiled. It was a nice smile, Yamato decided. Not like some of the other smiles grown-ups gave to children.

Yamato nodded.

"Your father was right. You are a little miracle," the nurse said, affectionately tugging on Yamato's cheeks. And then she left with a flurry of activity. Somewhere in there, Yamato felt his father's embrace, but still, Yamato felt very alone. His sad blue eyes watched as the nurses fussed over the boy. The strange brunette wasn't solely his anymore.

TBC?

--

**Author's Notes**: O.o Poor Yama! I'm so mean! Anyways, you guys are glad I updated right? Sorta? Yeah, I know, the writing was horrible and confusing, right? If it helps, I'm still continuing with the flashback scene I started from Chapter 3. Well, thank you anyways for reading, and hopefully, you'll review. Please? Yeah, things should get more exciting now that Tai woke up, right? Thank you **krad, BeautifullyBrokenx **and **Courage Sun **for reviewing the last chapter. I'm glad you guys liked it. And just 'cuz you guys are awesome, here's a few more words.

--

_Con'td..._

As it turned out, it was just a false alarm. "It happens sometime," the nurses explained to them. "When a patient is in a coma, sometimes a person's muscles momentarily move."

"You mean, the boy _didn't_ wake up," Yamato asked.

The nurse shook her head sadly, her green eyes showing sympathy. "I know...it must be hard...He's you're best friend, right?"

_Friend? I suppose so..._ Yamato thought. Of course, Yamato still didn't know the boy's name. But he supposed that the boy was a friend...

"Sometimes, it helps talking to the patient," the nice nurse continued.

Yamato felt himself nod. He came back to the hospital every single day for the next three weeks. The strange brunette still didn't wake up.

_TBC?_

--

**Author's Note: **Yeah, I know. I'm a horrible person who likes torture Yama, right? But it seemed too _easy _and coincidental to me...you know, with Tai just waking up when Yama was there. Aren't writers awesome, though...I mean, the fact that we can do that whenever we feel like it. It's absurd—the amount of power we have. Yeah, so please review?


	6. Life is like a Romance Novel

Summary: Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

"Sometimes, it helps talking to the patient," the nice nurse continued, twirling a finger around her pink hair.

Yamato felt himself nod. So it was promise then. He would come to the hospital every single day. If only the strange brunette woke up...

--

True to his word, Yamato could be found sitting at the brunette's bedside every single day. Sometimes his father was with him, standing the corner, watching him. Sometimes he came alone after school (he discovered that it wasn't a far walk from the school to the hospital). His dad would pick him up after work. All the nurses knew him by name _now_, but they still knew him as the sad blonde boy who visited the comatose brunette and also by various other nicknames...

"Hey Prince Charming, did Sleeping Beauty wake up yet?" one of the male employees called out soon as he saw Yamato enter the hospital.

Yamato shook his head sadly, his blond bangs clung limply to his face.

"Aw, cheer up, boy," the man said, affectionately tousling the boy's hair. "Give 'im a kiss for me will ya?"

Yamato nodded timidly as he made his way to the brunette's room.

"I don't know why you tease him so," the nice nurse with the green eyes whispered over the man's shoulders. "I think it's cute and a little romantic." She was also in the process of reading the _The Notebook_ by Nicholas Sparks.

"Mimi, are you talking about _The Notebook_ or Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty over there in the next room?" her male co-worker responded.

"Ken, you know what I mean..." She paused for a moment, imagining a younger version of Noah visiting Allie at the hospital. "Both."

Her co-worker arched his brow while shaking his head and clucking his tongue depreciatively. "Women these days..."

To which, Mimi responded suspiciously, "Wait, you read _The Notebook_?"

"Um...no, actually...My wife took me to go see it..." Kenchi replied sheepishly. "It...it's a sad movie."

"Yeah," she replied, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "...but at least Sleeping Beauty gets a happy ending."

--

It was winter now and Sleeping Beauty was still asleep. Snow had just started falling, covering sidewalks and making the whole ordeal a little more miserable. "You know, you don't have to visit the boy in the hospital," his father had said before he left for work that morning. "I'll go check on him after work."

"But what if he wakes up today," Yamato had answered innocently. "The doctors said that he was getting better." It was true, physically, at least. While other crimes and happenings around Obaida replaced the boy's face on the six 'o clock news, Hiroaki Ishida found himself claiming the boy as a foster parent, under little Yamato's persistent pleas...well, until another adult claimed responsibility for the boy, that is...Or well, at least that was what Hiroaki kept telling himself. Under this oath, the doctors had confided the boy's condition to the reluctant dad. Most of the boy's injuries from the accident were healing nicely—all the broken bones were set— and his condition had grown much more stable over a period of months. However, the doctors were not very hopeful. And if the boy continued to stay in his current comatose form...well, Hiroaki preferred not to think of what that would mean for both Yamato and himself.

"Daaaad," Yamato whined, watching his father's hesitant face.

"Okay," Hiroaki reluctantly agreed. It was also true that both of them had grown quite attached to the boy. "But you're not leaving the house unless...."

Consequently, Yamato found himself wrapped in layers of sweaters, turtlenecks and scarves, earmuffs, mittens, and boots. Still, Yamato remained hopeful. What if the brunette did wake up today?

-

Sure walking in the snow was miserable enough, but Yamato remained hopeful as he made his trek to the Odaiba Hospital. Perhaps, it was the excitement of the snow—which fell like fairy sprinkles—or the fact that Christmas was fast approaching, but today was going to be different, the blonde thought, as he made his way through the snow. Sure enough, he was greeted by sincere grins as he entered those familiar automatic doors.

"Hey, Prince Charming," a man greeted him.

"Hey Kenchi," Yamato grinned back, as he followed the familiar path to the brunette's room.

Mimi smiled with sincerity, her green eyes sparkling as she watched the scene from the Break Room. With a cup of coffee in her hand and a Lurlene McDaniel book in her lap, the nurse inhaled the sweet scent of anticipation and young love.

TBC?

* * *

**Endnotes: Extra #1**

(In the Break Room at the Odaiba Hospital)

Kenchi: Hey Mimi, why do you wear green contacts when your eyes are brown?

Mimi: Shhhh, the readers don't know they're contacts. Besides, I think green eyes are mysterious, don't you agree?

Kenchi: Then, what's so mysterious about your romance novels and fairy tales? They all end the same. I quote, "And they all lived happily ever after."

Mimi: (squeals) I think they're cute!

Kenchi: (shaking his head and clucking) Women, these days...

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Cool, so the word count is finally long enough to qualify as a proper chapter (as short as this chapter is)... Yes, I know it has been a while since I've last updated this, but I've been really busy and then I kinda lost track of where this story was going! ^_^; So I hope you're happy that I finally updated! Thank you **Catching Rain, YkittyH, shadowtheo, **and **krad** for reviewing the last chapter. I'm glad you guys liked it. And thank you all for reading this. (I feel like I'm just prolonging the inevitable. I know you guys are all waiting for Taichi to wake up and to know what's going on!). So, I apologize for my horrible writing and rambling, but I would really appreciate it if you review. I'm always looking at what I can do to improve, or just hearing what you think!


	7. Answers

Summary: Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

--

Yamato thought that he was going to be happy when the brunette finally work up, and for the most part, he was. Years later, Yamato and the boy were inseparable, but then, when Yamato entered the boy's room on one winter's evening after school, he saw the boy laying weakly in a hospital bed. The boy looked sad. The boy looked confused. And those intriguing golden brown eyes were filled with despair.

"Hey," Yamato whispered, quickly running to the boy's side. A multitude of questions were running through his mind. _How long has the boy been awake? Where did the boy come from? Did the boy remember who he was?_ _What was the boy's name? _Instead, he kept his mouth shut, running his hand through the other boy's soft hair.

The stayed like that for a while in silence, with the boy looking at him curiously while he petted the boy's hair. In fact, it was so quiet that for a moment Yamato thought the boy might have fallen into a coma again. But then, the blond heard a voice—soft and cynical—that Yamato almost thought he didn't hear it at all.

"It's funny," the boy had laughed bitterly. "I always thought Heaven would be different from this, but this is kinda nice."

"Heaven?" the blond wondered, the wheels in his head quickly turning, remembering what he heard and saw on the news broadcasts months ago. He was almost afraid to ask this, not sure of what answer he would get in response. After all, Yamato had never thought about Death before. Death was almost as bad as the D-word. At times before their divorce, Daddy had wished Mommy was dead and vice versa. Heaven was the place you were supposed to go after Death if you were a good little boy, Daddy had explained. The fact that this little boy that haunted him for these past few months thought about such things scared him a little. He hoped the boy or his folks had to go through a D-word. Still, Yamato played along, asking, "Did you think you would go to Heaven when you jumped?"

The boy thought for a while, his face cutely pouting as he did so. (Well, at least Yamato thought the boy was cute, thinking about things.) "No," the boy finally answered. "I thought I would leave Hell. But…but maybe I don't deserve to."

Yamato was more than alarmed with what the boy's response. Not only did the boy say a bad word, but he seemed to really mean it. The boy wasn't like all the other kids at school, laughing at someone who accidently dropped the F-bomb in front of a teacher. This boy wasn't at all like the other boys who said bad words just to taste how they sounded in their mouths. No, this boy seemed to really mean what he said and that look of despair that still graced the boy's delicate features didn't make Yamato feel any less disturbed. Just the fact that for the past months, Yamato thought the world of the boy and the boy didn't think much of himself made the blond incredibly sad.

The boy seemed to notice the blond's tears though. "Hey, don't be like that," the boy whispered. "I'm sorry. You know…forget what I said. Just…just forget everything. I'm Taichi," he said as he weakly reached for Yamato's hand. "And I just say the stupidest things sometimes."

"No, no you don't," Yamato insisted, questions still rolling in his mind. _So should I just forget what happened in the park?_ _Should I just forget what you said? _Yamato wanted to ask him, but he didn't. Well, not right now. "Yamato," he answered instead. "I'm the kid you saved at the park."

Realization seemed to dawn on Taichi's face as his eyes widened. "I'm so sorry!" Taichi gasped.

"No, don't be," the blond replied, puzzled by the boy's reaction. "Why would you be sorry? I want to thank you."

"I'm sorry. I mean, aren't you here because you feel obligated to me? You know, you don't have to be here if you don't want to be. …You're only going to get hurt if you get close to me."

Now Yamato didn't get angry easily. He was very much a stoic little boy. He neither laughed nor cried easily and he certainly didn't get angry easily. However, even little Yamato was a prideful kid and what Taichi just said angered him. "I did not spend the past five months watching you because I felt obligated to you," Yamato said coldly.

Taichi visibly cringed as Yamato continued.

"I did not visit you everyday after school for five straight months so I could wait for you to wake up and feel miserable about yourself. I am not here because I don't want to be here. I'm here because I care. You intrigued me the day I saw you in the park and since then I can't get you out of my head. Now, tell me what's wrong or you're going to wish you never woke up!"

Taichi tried to smile, but it turned into more of a grimace as Yamato stood over him by the hospital bed, patiently waiting for him to say something.

Again, Taichi didn't say anything for a while, but the silence wasn't unbearable. It was a comfortable silence, Yamato decided, although he did wish the brunette would react to his words. At this point, any reaction would be nice. After all, Yamato just bared his soul to him and Taichi wasn't saying anything!

Quiet sobs, however, alerted the blond to Taichi's presence. Yamato found those honey brown eyes that he had grown to love filled with tears and Yamato felt his heart painfully clench at the sight of the melancholy boy.

"Those are nice words," Taichi mumbled as Yamato leaned closer to hear him. "It's funny, because as much as you say that I intrigue you and that you can't get me out of your head, I can't get her out of my head." Taichi grew silent again, with tears streaming down his face. Yamato found himself dabbing his handkerchief on Taichi's face, wiping away any stray tears. "I keep replying the scene over and over in my head."

"Who's she?" Yamato promoted, once he let Taichi collect himself. Yamato felt a strange emotion run through him as he asked. It was almost like he was jealous of whoever she was.

"Hikari," he whispered fondly. Yamato watched his eyes glaze over and more tears streamed down his face. "She was my sister."

Yamato felt his heart sink in his chest as he was filled with dread. "Was?"

"Yes, Yama. She's dead. I killed her."

TBC?

* * *

**Author's Note:** Whoa, so over eight months and no updates? Where has the time gone! Well, I hope you all had a good year and that this chapter was certainly worth the wait. I know, it's about time I updated, right? As always, I thoroughly enjoy feedback and hearing from you. Thank you **krad, Catching Rain, shadowtheo, Shinikan**, and **LostGriffindorFoundSlytherin **for reviewing the last chapter. As always, I really appreciate it. You guys are the best! And thank you everyone for adding this to your favorite, alerts and just for reading! Happy Holidays and thanks so much for reading! If you could kindly leave me a review, I would really really appreciated it. 'Tis still the season, right?


	8. And The Flashback Ends

**Summary:** Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

**Disclaimer**: Owns neither Digimon nor any of its characters.

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

--

Later, Yamato learned that Taichi tended to exaggerate a little. Taichi didn't literally kill Hikari, his sister, although the there was no doubt that the brunette still blamed himself for it. Hikari had gotten killed in an accident. It was much like that scene in the park, where those two bullies were after him, but only this time, the bullies were two times older and much stronger. It didn't help that those "bullies" were drunk and that they thought Hikari was pretty. They tried to "deflower" her (they had vulgarly used dirtier words) and "pluck her blossom."

Taichi, even with his "magic" as he called it, was beaten to a pulp trying to defend her. Hikari, who had seen the whole thing was screaming as loud as she could. These bullies had a knife. They held it a little too close. She wouldn't shut up. A culmination of things may have resulted in her death and none of them were necessarily Taichi's fault. The fact of the matter was, by the time Taichi woke up in the deserted alleyway, those bullies were nowhere to be seen. They had more than "deflowered" her, and his sister's dead, mutilated body lay twenty feet in front of him in the dumpster.

That night, Taichi couldn't sleep without seeing his sister's pale white face and unseeing eyes surrounded by flies and maggots sitting in a dumpster. Those images resurfaced every time he closed his eyes. He kept seeing those bold brass men, pounding their knuckles into her side, guffawing as they did so. He saw himself rendered immobilize. He couldn't stop them from hurting her and that made it all his fault. He couldn't stop her from being killed, so he might as well killed her.

More than anything, Taichi wanted to stop seeing those horrific images.

Within the next week, Taichi had robotically walked up four flights of stairs to top of one of the buildings overlooking the one of the busiest intersections in Odaiba and jumped without thinking.

Less than a week later, he was lying comatose in a hospital bed, his face broadcasted over local television.

--

It took Yamato more than a couple hours to discover the complete timeline from his sister's death to Taichi's attempted suicide. His dad had long returned from work to find the small brunette deeply buried in Yamato's arms (much like how Yamato still held Taichi years later when he was distressed).

"Is he okay?" Hiroaki had asked his son.

"He will be," Yamato had replied, emotionally drained from the whole ordeal. Hiroaki had nodded, quietly leaving the room and leaving the two boys in private.

Dealing with Taichi was like riding a rollercoaster, Yamato had learned. Sure, it was fun and scary, but Yamato had to learn how to deal with the highs and the lows. And years later, discovering Taichi sprawled under the trees in the Odaiba park, was much higher than when he first got to know Taichi.

Taichi was anything but fine and it certainly wasn't easy when he woke up, finding himself strapped to the IVs, still suicidal over his sister's death. Taichi had come a long way since then. While Yamato still worried and fretted over the dear boy who held his heart with those gorgeous honey-brown eyes, Yamato wasn't worried about Taichi killing himself at a drop of a hat…although at times like this, Yamato did wonder.

How many nights had the blond found his friend passed out in a random park or alleyway or club? How many more times would it happen? Sure, Taichi was okay now, or so the brunette claimed, as they made their way back to Yamato's apartment. (The two boys, well into their early twenties, had long since moved out of Hiroaki's humble abode, while renting an apartment of their own).

But every now and then, Taichi had his relapses. Yamato remembered another time years later when Yamato woke up in the middle of the night only to find the spot next to him on their queen sized bed cold and empty. Meanwhile, lightning flashed and thunder roared over the night sky. Yamato, panicking that the brunette wasn't resting peacefully beside him in their dry apartment, had grabbed his coat and keys before running out into the rain.

It turned out that Taichi had woken up earlier to a nightmare. For a moment, it was like Hikari died all over again and Taichi had run out into the storm. When Yamato had finally found Taichi, the brunette was wading chest deep in water, walking out into the ocean, as if he was trying to drown himself.

Yamato had got there just in time to watch the brunette get pulled in by the waves and the current. He dove in after Taichi as he watched Taichi head bob underwater. The blond pushed against the wind and current to propel his body faster, his lifeguard training paying off. _Please be okay, _Yamato silently pleaded as he dragged his boyfriend's limp body to shore.

"You can't do this to me," Yamato said desperately, skillfully feeling for a pulse and performing CPR. One. Two. Three. Breathe. One. Two. Three. "C'mon, Tai-chan, you can't die!"

Taichi had coughed in response, choking on seawater. "Yama?" he croaked, hacking several more times. When he finally caught his breath, he asked, "Where am I?"

Yamato had smiled, more relieved than anything. "You're safe," the blond had said, wrapping around the other's smaller shivering frame. "Now let's get you home."

Taichi had nodded and complied, much like he was doing now, letting Yama lead him up the stairs and into their apartment.

"You know I love you, right?" Yamato asked as he firmly gripped the brunette's hand.

"So you tell me everyday," the brunette smiled. "I love you too, Yama."

TBC?

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yay, I updated again! I'm so glad to finally get out of that long extended flashback and moved back into a continuation of the opening scene, but with Yama and Tai going into their apartment. Hopefully you all didn't find it too confusing to follow and hopefully you guys understand things a lot better too! Anyways, I considered ending the story here, but I have one more chapter planned for you guys. :) As always, thank you for reading, favoriting, reviewing and whatnot. And thank yous to **krad** and **Celdria** for reviewing the last chapter. I'm so glad you guys liked the last chapter and are still interested in my story! As always, reviews always inspire me to continue what I'm working on. I'd love to hear from you. ;)

-splintered

**EDITED 01/17/09**: When you're writing with multiple flashbacks going on, sometimes the details get mixed up at times. I guess that's what happens when you don't re-read your own fic after a while. Anyways, if you find yourself re-reading this fic, you might notice minor edits with some of the previous chapters in order to smooth out the discrepancies. Besides editing some of my horrible old writing, I've been working on the final chapter of this fic, and I promise you (Don't worry, it will be out soon!), it's a lot longer than the rest of them.


	9. Fall For You

**Summary:** Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

**Disclaimer**: Owns neither Digimon nor any of its characters. Song used: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade. Lyrics mildly adjusted to fit the formatting of this fanfic.

* * *

_**Cursed**_

By: splintered

--

But as much as Yamato loved him and as much as Taichi loved Yamato, Yamato couldn't help but be uneasy whenever he let the brunette around anyone else. For example, Taichi's friend Sora who became fast friends with Taichi at school. (Hiroaki insisted that Taichi would have to go to school after all his wounds healed. Yamato had protested, of course, wanting to keep Taichi all to himself, but his dad insisted that if he were to remain Taichi's legal guardian and adopted father, Taichi would have to go to school.)

"Define 'magic-using,'" the redhead demanded, as she repeated the familiar words. She hated the special lingo that Tai and Yamato used...probably because she didn't know what terms like 'magic-using' meant. It wasn't like the girl didn't _try _to find out...but she always got the same answer from her friend.

"Sora," Taichi laughed at the girl's forcefulness. "I've already went over this dozens of times before. And you never believed me when I told you."

"Well," the girl replied, "that reason was stupid. Give me a real reason, Taichi."

Instead, the brunette only shook his head. "Trust me, Sora. Sometimes, the truth is too hard to believe." Taichi smiled with that crooked grin of his. But as Sora had decided, it was Taichi's imperfections that made him all the more desirable. Of course, she wasn't allowed to tell that to Tai. No, her male best friend was specifically off limits in that way. And the thing was, the very thought of it should have disgusted her...But somehow, it didn't. She wanted to be more than just a friend with him. It only he knew... Nah, she decided. He probably wouldn't believe her anyway. Or be able to return her feelings. It wouldn't be his fault if he didn't feel the same way.

"Yeah," she agreed.

Still, Yamato didn't like the way she was starring dreamily at the brunette as he smiled at her. No, Yamato decided, not liking Sora one bit.

And then there was that crazy boy with the goggles and wild auburn-colored hair—the boy who called Tai-chan "Taichi-sempai" and glomped Tai-chan every time he saw him.

"Taichi-sempai," that crazy boy with the goggles would shout from across the hall. (Yamato didn't remember the boy's name and he wasn't sure if Tai-chan knew it either, but Taichi would still smile at the crazy boy.)

So then Taichi and Yamato would start fighting. Taichi would claim that Yama was jealous and Yama would claim that he was not and that Tai-chan was just too cute and likable (although Tai-chan still didn't think much about himself and would argue that he wasn't likable at all). That wasn't exactly an insult, but Yamato always made it sound like one.

_--_

_Best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting_

_--  
_

And then Yamato, who could never stay mad at Taichi long, would apologize for acting all jealous and bitter, but still wish that Taichi didn't have to go to school and that Yamato could keep Taichi at home for himself.

_--_

_Could it be that we have been this way before_

_--  
_

You see, Yamato really tried to not be jealous of anyone else looking at Taichi, but he couldn't help it.

_  
--_

_I know you don't think that I am trying......_

_--  
_

And it certainly didn't help that Taichi was just the type of person that would get noticed in crowd. There was just something about Taichi that was irresistible.

It might have been Taichi's willingness to help others that attracted Yamato to Taichi in the first place. After all, Taichi had helped him in the park years ago and Taichi was still helping others. Like that little girl he claimed he saw in the Odaiba Park today before Yamato found him.

Whereas Taichi always did things like that recklessly, Yamato had always been afraid to help others. Courage, Yamato had called this particular trait of Taichi's. According to Tai-chan, courage is the ability to do something in spite of fear. Despite his brainless courage, Tai couldn't call himself courageous.

"But Yama, how can I have courage if I have no fear?" the brunette had asked one day.

Yamato had shrugged in response. The blond never really cared about the brunette's questions. Hell, the smaller boy had so many of them, it was impossible to care about them all. Besides, Taichi's attention span never lasted long enough for the blonde to answer any of these questions. By the time Yamato would think of a proper answer, Taichi would have already had another question rolling off his tongue. However, on this particular day, Taichi seemed particularly interested for an answer.

"Well?" the smaller boy prompted.

"Well..." the blonde repeated, stalling for time. He knew that Taichi was expecting an answer. After all, it was Yamato who had made the first assertion. The blonde did think the brunette to be brave, even if the brunette didn't think of himself that way. "You're not afraid to do anything. Hell, you're not afraid of anything. You're one of the bravest people I know."

"But, Yama, I can't feel afraid. It's physically impossible for me to feel fear. And, as you always say, there's a big difference between fear and stupidity. I'm not brave, I'm just stupid."

"Tai, you're not stupid."

"Yes, I am. I know what people think of me. Stupid little Tai Yagami. Only an idiot would have broken seventeen bones...." The brunette then proceeded to list all his other injuries and misgivings as Yamato tuned it out. It was times like these that Tai couldn't be reasoned with. After all, how could you argue with someone who refused to listen? Then again, Yamato couldn't be sure that Taichi knew half the things he was arguing about. Although Yamato knew the other boy to not be stupid (in fact, the brunette was quite intelligent), Taichi was probably convinced that he was. Yamato sighed.

"You're not listening!" the brunette whined.

"Taichi, you're not stupid," Yamato stressed. "Would a stupid person argue about how stupid he was?"

"Probably not," the brunette admitted.

"Well, there you go," the blonde managed to reassure the brunette like always.

But courage or not (Yamato still claimed that it was courage when Tai claimed it wasn't courage that drove him to "fight bad guys" and "rescue damsels in distress," although they both had agreed that Taichi wasn't stupid although the brunette did act stupid at times), it was taking a toll on Taichi's body.

_  
--_

_I know you're wearing thin down to the core._

_--  
_

You see, there was some truth to Taichi's statement about not being able to feel fear. Sure it didn't work all the time (like when Yamato first questioned Taichi about his ability in the park), but in the face of physical danger, something would kick in—adrenaline or whatever technical term you wanted to call it.

In battle, Taichi didn't feel fear like people were supposed to. Taichi's immune system—or whatever you would like to call it—wouldn't realize when to back out of a fight, so Taichi would keep fighting and fighting until his body had no more energy left—until the adrenaline stopped running and his body physically shut down. That's what had happened when he collapsed in the park. That is what happened in the alleyway with Hikari. That's what happened when he first fainted in front of Yamato.

However, just because Taichi didn't feel fear like people normally would didn't mean that Taichi didn't feel pain or any other emotions. Taichi was in helluva lot of pain when he woke up in the hospital room, five months after he jumped off a four-story building. While Tai's body didn't give him the "flight" response, pain served as a constant reminder for the consequences of his actions.

Of course, this physical wear-and-tear couldn't be good for Taichi's body (especially when he got into a lot of fights where some of them he couldn't win) but when Taichi used "magic," there was nothing that could stop him until he passed out.

Yamato was just worried that Taichi would never wake up again.

--_  
But hold your breath  
Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you_

_--_

So Yamato learned how to enjoy every moment he could with Tai-chan.

"Stop it, Yaaaaama," Taichi squealed as the blond trailed kisses down his body, dragging him into bed. "That tickles!"

"But Tai-chan," the blond said between kisses, "I just love you so much."

_Over again_

Yes, Yamato learned how to ravish the small brunette.

"Just tell me if it hurts, Tai-chan, and I'll stop."

"Mmmmmm, Yaaaaaaaaaaama…"

"Yes, my pet."

"I can't always wake up to angry sex," the brunette pouted.

_  
--_

_Don't make me change my mind_

_--  
_

"No, Tai-chan?"

"Sometimes, I just want to cuddle. Can we just cuddle, Yama?"

The blond chuckled. "Sure, Tai-chan. But next thing you know, you'll be asking for breakfast in bed and pancakes for dinner."

"Yes, let's do that, Yama! Let's have breakfast in bed and pancakes for dinner!"

"Well, let's see…" the blond pretended to think. "Okay, but on one condition."

"What is it?" Taichi pouted, his head tilting cutely to the left as he did so.

"How do you like whipped cream for breakfast? Because I want it all over you."

"YAMA!" Taichi squealed as he blushed furiously. "Bad Yama."

Yamato only grinned mischievously.

"On second thought, I think I'm going back to bed," the brunette replied, as he flipped himself over with his back facing Yamato.

"But Tai-chan, you just woke up! Now, you'll have no excuses if we have angry sex!"

--

_--  
Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear its true  
Because a guy like you is impossible to find  
You're impossible to find_

_--  
_

But of course, there was nobody quite like Taichi—with his altruistic nature and pure kind heart (although Taichi did tend to be very pessimistic about himself). Still, there was nobody else that Yamato would be able to fall for, for he loved Tai-chan with all his heart.

And even if Yamato worried for the brunette at times… Well okay, so Yamato worried for Taichi a lot. But, it was only because he cared. He cared so much that he didn't want Tai-chan to go away. This was normal, right? It was normal to not want to lose someone you love, right?

"Yamato, stop," his brother Takeru had said when Yamato had called to cancel their overdue lunch appointment. (The brothers had reconnected a couple years after Taichi had entered Yamato's life and Hiroaki was ready to face his divorce like a man, demanding to see his other son from time to time as well). After finding Tai unconscious at the Odaiba Park, though, the other blond had wanted to spend some more time with Taichi. And no, get your mind out of the gutter, but not just for angry morning sex. Of course, Yamato had trusted that his brother would understand. Takeru did understand, of course, more than Yamato knew. And no, Takeru couldn't help but instill some of his knowledge upon his older brother. "You're obsessing over him, Yamato. Tai can take care of himself. He's a big boy. Give him some space."

"But…" But what if he really did lose the brunette this time? And was he really smothering Tai-chan with his love?

_  
--_

_This is not what I intended_

_--  
_

"Yamato," Takeru continued on the phone. "You're a romantic, and trust me, that's a good thing. But give Taichi some space too, okay? You're not that vampire from the Twilight series. And watching someone when they sleep is just creepy."

"How did you know he was sleeping?"

"Yamato," Takeru warned again.

His brother just knew him too well. Yamato sighed as Takeru continued to rant.

"He's not a dog, so don't pull too hard on that leash you have on him."

"But Takeru, I don't tie him with a leash." Well, at least not all the time… although Tai-chan does look sexy in…

"Yamato, get your mind out of the gutter. Yamato, that's not what I meant. I meant a figurative leash. And it couldn't hurt having lunch with your brother."

"I know, Takeru. I'm sorry. I know I have been postponing this thing for weeks. Let's do this. I mean, Tai's just asleep. He can't get in much trouble while he's sleeping, right?"

"Good call. I'm almost at your house."

"Takeru, have you been talking on your cell phone while driving again? You know, that's dangerous and illegal, right?"

"Shut up, Yamato," the boy laughed. "You worry too much."

--

Yes, Yamato worried a lot, but with good reason. After all, someone had to do enough worrying for the both of them, the blond reminded himself. God, Yamato wished that Taichi would take care of himself better.

Yamato couldn't help but see the bags under his boyfriend's eyes as he smiled at him. He knew that lately, Tai-chan had lost some weight (and that was saying something because Taichi didn't weigh a whole lot to begin with. He couldn't afford to lose any more weight.) He couldn't put his finger on it, but something else has been off about Tai-chan lately (and it wasn't just when Yamato found Taichi unconscious at the Odaiba Park). The issue wasn't just the weight thing or the tired strained grins, but something more, but try as he might, Yamato couldn't figure it out. _  
_

Although Taichi loved food, but sometimes, he knew that the brunette would forget to eat if nobody else was around. And with the amount of sleep Taichi has been getting lately, he should be livelier, right? Oh, how he wished that Taichi would take better care of himself. _Hmm, maybe I shouldn't get lunch with Takeru, _Yamato debated with himself.

Of course, Takeru chose that moment to let himself into Yamato and Taichi's apartment. "Yamato, you promised," the boy reminded him before he dragged Yamato out of the apartment. "He'll be fine," Takeru had told him.

_--_

_I always swore to you I'd never fall apart_

_You always thought that I was stronger_

_--  
_

"Yeah," Yamato had agreed absently. That's what Taichi had told him too.

--

But as much as Taichi insisted that he was fine, the truth was that he really wasn't. Taichi thought that Yama suspected that he wasn't eating as much lately. The truth was that he did forget to eat sometimes, but also, Taichi had been feeling particularly light-headed lately. It was these damn dizzy spells and migraines. They usually didn't last long and most of the time Taichi would successfully hide it from Yamato with a facade of cheerfulness. While it might be a side-effect of not eating or sleeping, Taichi didn't think he could stomach anything when his head hurt and he felt like he would faint or puke any second. The thing was that Taichi had always had headaches and migraines and he had always felt especially dizzy and light-headed after a fight and an attempt of "magic-using," but it had never been this bad. Or lasted this long.

And so, Taichi prescribed himself his solution for what he did when he didn't know what was wrong with himself; he slept. Or tried to. Or laid in bed. If only his thoughts would quiet down.

It was funny, because Yama's brother Takeru sometimes joked that Taichi was empty-headed under that bushy chocolate colored hair of his that that Yama should have been the brunette while Taichi should have been the blond, however, while Taichi did try to act cheerful and happy around others (Yama remains the only one who knew of Taichi's truly pessimistic nature. Actually, Yama probably knew most of Taichi's secrets after knowing him for all those years.), Taichi couldn't get his thoughts to shut down. So as he waited for Yama to leave for lunch with Takeru, Taichi had pretended to sleep. But he couldn't sleep. And his head hurt. And he felt a little dizzy when he moved. On the growing list of things that were wrong with Taichi, the brunette knew his symptoms weren't good. And it wasn't like he could go to a hospital to find out what was wrong with him.

But as scary as it was not knowing what was wrong with himself, Taichi felt shittier worrying Yama. What kind of douche-y boyfriend was he to worry his Yama all the time? So you see, he couldn't tell Yama. After all, Yama worried enough about him already. And also, Yama had been acting awfully weird lately, reminiscing about the past. "You're getting old, Yama," Taichi had joked.

"I know, Tai-chan," Yama had replied. "Who's going to buy you alcohol when I'm gone?"

"Hey Yama, I detest that. I'll be twenty-one soon and you wouldn't be accused of robbing the cradle anymore."

"I'm kidding, Tai."

"I know," Taichi grinned. "So was I."

"You're such a tease," Yama shook his head as they continued with their easygoing banter.

But all kidding aside, in Taichi's mind, if he could just solve his problems on his own, then everything will be okay. He could do that much, couldn't he? But as much as he told Yama that he was fine, Taichi was trying desperately to convince himself.

_--  
I may have failed  
But I have loved you from the start_

_--  
_

Maybe if he took some sleeping pills, he could sleep his problems away… It couldn't hurt, right? Now, if he only knew how many pills to take….

--

Lunch with Takeru proved interesting. Well, at least that was one way to put it. That boy had always been very curious, always asking many questions, but on the other hand, Takeru was also very insightful.

"Seriously Yamato, you could run a Pharm Party with all the drugs lying around your house. What was half the stuff for anyways?"

Now, though, Yamato had to keep reminding himself why he agreed to have lunch with the inquisitive boy. "I'm not sure exactly, but you should see the old man's apartment. Half the stuff is his anyway. I just couldn't bear to throw it out and the old man didn't want them so he gave them to Tai and me."

"Do you still think about that a lot? The old man? Our parent's divorce?"

"Not really, little brother," Yamato ruffled Takeru's hair playfully, smiling at him. Yes, Yamato still thought about the old man, but he thought about Taichi much much more. There was hardly a moment when his thoughts didn't stray back to Taichi. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know. I've just been thinking about that a lot lately. Of how I might not have known you if Dad didn't demand to spend time with me after you guys adopted Taichi. And now that I think about it, isn't it kinda weird that you and Tai are dating even if you're technically brothers?"

"Well, we're not blood relatives like you and me," Yamato replied playfully, wagging his eyebrows. "And we have been technically family since we were eight, and we're still a family so no, it's not weird. Nothing's going to change our relationship. What's with the interview anyways, Teeks?" It was Taichi who had dubbed the younger blond "Teeks," claiming that Takeru was too long to pronounce. Takeru had argued that three syllables was hardly too long to pronounce, but the nickname still stuck anyways.

"Hey, I like Tai. He's a lot cooler than you are anyways," Takeru grinned at him.

"Yeah, but what's with the questions? Are you seeking manly advice? There's a girl, isn't there?"

"See this is what I mean. Taichi is much cooler."

"Or is it a guy? You can tell me, Teeks. I don't judge."

"Yamato."

"Yeah."

"The waitress is waiting for you to order."

"Oh, right."

"And just for the record, I love Tai. He's like a second brother to me and he makes you happy, but still, I don't understand how the dude isn't sick of you with you hanging on to him all the time. Hey, I'm your brother and I don't live with you and I grow sick of you."

"Yeah Teeks, sure you're sick of me. That's why you practically begged me out to lunch?"

"Hey, I didn't beg!"

--

_--_

_Oh, But hold your breath _

_--  
_

Maybe if he held his breath, the pain would go away. Maybe if he held his breath, he would be able to cure his insomnia and his headache and all the other things that were wrong with hgim. Maybe if he took enough pills, he could drown out his thoughts. Maybe if he closed his eyes, he would fall asleep.

Hell, the world was a lot of maybes and what ifs, but two things were for sure: 1.) He couldn't go to the hospital (he hadn't been back there since he had first left with Hiroaki and Yamato years ago) and 2.) He didn't know where he would be without Yamato. Taichi had often wondered what would have happened to him if he hadn't met Yamato. Well, the answer was simple. If he hadn't met Yamato, he would be dead—a long time ago. There was so many times that Yamato saved his ass. Yamato saved him again and again. Taichi knew that he would be nothing without Yama. He would just be another dumb brunette who had a knack for getting in trouble. No, he would probably literally be dead like Hikari was. He would—

Maybe if he took some more pills. Maybe those will empty his head. Heh, but Teeks always said that his pretty little head pretty empty anyways. "You just have to sit there and look pretty," the younger blond Ishida brother had told him once, "and Yamato will do all the work." They were moving boxes out of Hiroaki's house and into their new apartment when Teeks had told him that. Yeah, he was pretty empty-headed Teeks had said, but then again, that little blond rascal wasn't shifting though his head. If he was pretty empty headed, what was with all these racing thoughts? Where did Teeks take Yama to lunch anyways? Hmm, were all those colors normal? Where was Yama again…

--

"Teeks, I have to go," Yamato blurted suddenly. He couldn't help but feel the sinking feeling in his chest—the part of him that was acutely attuned to Taichi—telling him that something was wrong.

"But Yamato, you barely finished your soup."

"Can I take a rain check? Please. I'll make it up to you."

"Sure Yamato, but—"

Yamato was out the door and racing to his apartment before Takeru could finish his sentence.

_--_

It didn't take long for Yamato to figure out what happened once he unlocked his apartment and found that no one answer. (Well, with Taichi's shallow breathing and the bottle of pills that sprayed haphazardly on the floor next to the brunette's limp form sprawled against the couch, it didn't take a genius to put two and two together. Of course, Yamato had no way of knowing how much time had passed since Tai had presumably swallowed the pills? And who knew how old or what those pills were?).

And it didn't take much longer for a frantic Yamato to call the ambulance while the operator calmly asked what was his emergency. For some odd reason that Yamato couldn't place, it felt like he was doing something wrong by dialing those three numbers, but what else could he do? If only, if only, the woodpecker sighs, the bark on the tree was as soft as the skies…(1). He could almost hear Tai-chan's soft voice ask him, _I'm cursed Yama. Isn't it better for you to stay away from me?_

_  
--_

_Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you  
Over again_

_--  
_

Taichi always claimed that he was cursed, but seriously, what was he cursed with? His desire to help others? A loving boyfriend? His low self-esteem? Wasn't it Yamato who was cursed—cursed to almost lose his love over and over again, not sure if Taichi would survive another escapade.

Yamato found himself thinking of Takeru's words over lunch. Of how Teeks said that he might not have known his own brother if not for his dad's change of heart in regards to seeing his second son. Well, couldn't the same be true for Yamato? He wouldn't have met Taichi if not for all those things that may have seemed like a "curse." He may not have known Taichi if not for that day in the park over ten years ago when he was the new kid facing a couple of bullies. And for some reason, to Yamato, that thought was unbearable—to even think of not having met Taichi. He couldn't imagine a life without Taichi.

_  
--_

_Don't make me change my mind  
Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear it's true_

_--  
_

So please, if there was a god out there somewhere, please don't take Tai-chan away from me. Please… Oh, please, I beg of you… Yamato desperately prayed, kneeling by Tai's bedside as the ambulance wheeled him away to the nearest hospital.

_  
_Yamato didn't realize what hospital they had taken his Tai-chan to. He didn't remember holding his breath as they pumped Tai's stomach—as the blue haired doctor worked on his patient. He didn't remember pacing around the waiting room or the little kids staring at him as their parents hushed them and told them to be quiet. He didn't realize how tense or nervous he was or how many times he approached the receptionist's desk demanding to see Taichi, probably screaming as loud as he could. No, he didn't remember any of that. He would have been embarrassed if he did remember. All he remembered was Taichi's perfect face when he found him in that apartment. Taichi could have almost been sleeping. And if not for the disarray of pills lying on the floor, he might have never have known that Taichi would need immediate medical attention. And that was almost as scary as losing Taichi all over again.

What would it matter if Yamato lost Taichi for real this time? The blond shuddered, just thinking about it, his mind wandering back to when he was just a curious eight-year-old boy who was more than a little curious about the stranger who saved him. Only he wasn't that eight-year-old boy anymore. And Tai-chan wasn't a stranger. Well, not now anyways. Tai-chan knew Yamato better than anyone else. Like Teeks had said, Tai made him happy like how nobody else could. Taichi was just irreplaceable.

_  
--_

_Because a guy like you is impossible to find  
It's impossible_

_--  
_

Yamato was lost in thought until an old friend brought him back to reality.

"Yamato, what are you doing back here?"

He turned to meet a concerned pair of soft brown eyes on a beautiful woman in a nurse's uniform. Her soft pink curls pulled back into a French bun as she held a patient's clipboard in her hand and her lips were purse in a frown.

"Do I know you?" the blond asked, puzzled at how the nurse could possible know his name.

The nurse mentally sighed as she watched the broken-hearted man before him—the one who had been pacing in the waiting area and screaming at the other nurses (or so she had been told). Beaming at him, she tried to stay as positive as she could. "Of course you do, Prince Charming!" she smiled.

She had kind eyes, the blond thought as his cerulean eyes widened in recognition_. Prince Charming? Why, he hadn't heard that nickname in years…. _

"It's Nurse Mimi. I'm disappointed in you! How could you forget me? But then again, it's been a while…When I first met you, you were just a little boy who came to visit Taichi every day. How is Sleeping Beauty nowadays?"

"Not good," Yamato supplied as his empty eyes watched the blue-haired doctor work on his patient through the glass.

"Cheer up, Romeo," Mimi said, nodding in understanding. She then proceeded to lead the blond to the closest chair (even if it was one of those metal fold-up chairs and not exactly the most comfortable things in the world. "Everything is going to be okay. Just breathe, Yamato. Close your eyes and breathe."

_--_

_So breathe in so deep  
Breathe me in_

_--  
_

Yamato nodded briefly as he let the pink-haired nurse's words wash over him, desperately wanting to tell those words to his Tai-chan_. Please breathe—please breathe in deep. Please open your eyes. Please stay with me forever and ever and ever. Because I can't live without you._ But even more so, as true as those words were, Yamato didn't know what he would do if Tai-chan didn't wake up. He would probably be heart-broken and devastated beyond belief. After all, like Mimi had said, so many years had passed since he first visited Taichi at this hospital. So many years….

He didn't realize how tired he was or when exactly he fell asleep sitting up in the uncomfortable fold-up chair that Mimi had led him to, but when Yamato woke up, another nurse told him that he could see Taichi now. The blond nodded, wiping the sleep from his eyes and stretching out his long legs (His legs had fallen asleep from sitting in those metal foldable chairs and didn't take too kindly to be having to walk around).

Taichi was awake when the blond entered his room. The blue-haired doctor, who had been checking up on the brunette after the operation, was lovably scolding Taichi for not eating and sleeping for a while. "Tai, that may be partly where the migraines and dizziness had come from. Now about your condition, I'll have to do a lot more testing, which," the doctor cleared his throat, "would mean we would need to take more blood samples."

"More shots, Jyou?" the brunette had whined (Yamato knew how much Taichi hated needles) as Yamato watched Taichi's antics incredulously. _Less than twelve hours and Taichi had already befriended the doctor?_ Yamato had found the doctor speaking to the brunette in layman terms versus the regular medical jargon doctors usually use. Did doctors really do that?_ But first name basis with the doctor? Really?_ And it had taken Yamato much more than a few emergency room visits to learn Taichi's name!

_--_

_I'm yours to keep_

_And hold onto your words  
'Cause talk is cheap  
And remember me tonight  
When you're asleep_

_--  
_

Taichi weakly smiled as he realized that Yama watching them. "I guess I messed up again, huh, Yama?"

The doctor turned when he realized that the brunette had a visitor. "Uh, I'll leave you too alone," the doctor had said, mumbling about having to see Mimi.

_  
_Yamato sighed as he returned to Taichi's bedside, realizing the familiarity of the situation. Only, the blond was a lot taller this time around, having grown up a lot since he was eight. "What were you thinking, Tai-chan?"

The brunette bit his lip, growing uneasy at the hurt expression that arose on the blond's face. "I was thinking that I love you and I didn't want to see you worry again."

"Tai-chan, I'll always worry," Yamato replied softly as he watched the childish brunette grab his hand. "It's part of what I do. I love you, baby, and I don't want to ever lose you again."

Taichi nodded, absently playing with the blond's long slender fingers. "I just don't want you to worry about me. That's all. I don't want to be a burden."

Yamato could see the big fat tears that were threatening to spill down Taichi's face as the brunette bit his bottom lip hesitantly.

"Lately, I haven't been feeling all that good and I thought that maybe I could fix it by myself. So you wouldn't have to be hurt again because of me." The boy's laugh was bitter—so different than how he had playfully pouted with the doctor. "But I only managed to hurt you again, didn't I?"

"No, Tai-chan," Yamato protested. It was hard to concentrate when Tai was massaging his hand like that. Oh, Tai-chan's touches felt so good.

"I did," Taichi confirmed. "Why is our relationship so cursed? Yama, please leave before I hurt you more."

"No, Taichi, I would never leave you." Not when I love you so much—

_--_

_Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you  
Over again  
Don't make me change my mind_

_--  
_

It was true that Yamato could fall for the brunette over and over again. For some reason, the enigma would never escape his heart.

"Yama, you know they are going to run more tests on me."

"Yes, Tai-chan, and I'll be here for every one of them," the blond continued, not fully understanding what Taichi was getting at.

"No Yama, they will find out about my 'magic.' They might take me away because I'm different."

"They didn't take you away when you were kids and I'm sure they did tests on you then. Why now?"

"But Mr. Ishida claimed me legally with papers and stuff. They couldn't do anything then," the brunette protested. "I'm an adult now. I belong to no one."

"No, Tai. You belong to me," Yamato said. Suddenly, he felt cold.

"No, Yama, I know we promised to forget, but remember? The screaming by the stairs? Mr. Ishida and those guys? Think, Yama?"

No, it couldn't be… Yamato could hear a very distant voice screaming inside his head.

"_You can't just take him away to do more testing," Yamato could hear his father scream. Hiding in the stairs with Taichi after showing the brunette his new bedroom, the blond decided this was probably not the best time to bug his father. Yamato had never seen his father that mad since before the divorce. "Taichi's just a child. Besides, he is legally under my care."_

"_We're paying you to give him to us. He will be a very valuable asset to the FBI. With the proper training, we can make him invincible—a very important asset to the federal government." _

"_Over my dead body," Hiroaki Ishida cried. Yamato couldn't see who his father was speaking to, but he could see his father's face purple with anger. "He's a human boy! A child! You can't use him like that, you monsters! Have you no heart!" _

"_Mr. Ishida, please—"_

"_I will never let you take him," Hiroaki Ishida had screamed before slamming the door in their face. _

"Don't you remember, Yamato?" Taichi prompted him.

"Yes," Yamato admitted defeat. For years, the two of them had imagined that that eavesdropped moment had never existed. In fact, Yamato had very well forgotten about it. There had been a clear reason that they kept Taichi away from hospitals since the first time when Yamato was eight-years-old. But when he saw Taichi sprawled in their couch and the mess of pills, the blond had panicked. Bringing Taichi back from the park or saving Taichi from drowning was a lot different from pumping his stomach of miscellaneous pills. Just like being Taichi's hero and lover was a lot different from bringing Taichi back from the dead.

Still, Yamato boldly declared, "They can't take you away from me. I would never let them."

_  
--_

_Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear it's true  
Because a guy like you is impossible to find_

_--  
_

"Yama—" the brunette began. He was still holding onto Yama's hand like his life depended on it (But Tai supposed that Yama was his lifeline).

"No Tai," the blond said firmly. A determined look was set in his bottomless cerulean blue eyes. "I won't ever let them take you away from me."

Tai smiled bitter-sweetly, not bothering to ask who them was. They both knew what they were up against—but defining "them" wasn't as definitive as defining death. They both knew that there were some battles that they couldn't win and that battle against Death was one of them. After all, everyone died, right? Nothing lasted forever and they were lucky to have so many years.

With Taichi's "curse"—or whatever he called it—progressing, and the danger of getting more tests and becoming that lab rat that Taichi feared to be, the couple chose to face the former.

"What do you say we leave this place before Dr. What-Ever-His-Name-Was comes back for those tests and blood samples?"

"Dr. Jyou Kido," the brunette supplied. "But how? I—"

Yamato smiled mischievously. "Leave it to me."

Taichi found himself lifted off the hospital bed, Yamato's strong arms supporting his legs and upper back as Taichi wrapped his arms around the blond's neck.

"Sir, you are not authorized to take him out of—" a bewildered hospital personnel began as saw Yamato carry Taichi out the hospital doors and through the threshold.

Yamato ignored him. All he cared about was the brunette in his arms as he safely carried him to their car and drove them back home.

"But Yama, I can't promise you forever," Taichi had whispered, knowing that whatever time he had with Yamato would be cut short by whatever Mother Nature decided to throw in their way.

"I know," Yamato said, his heart heavy with sorrow—ready to face the consequences—whatever they may be (Because it was always Taichi made him invincible—always Taichi who evoked the strangest emotions. If only he had Tai-chan, he could do anything in the world). "I only need tonight."

_  
--_

_Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you  
Over again  
Don't make me change my mind  
Or I won't live to see another day  
I swear it's true  
Because a guy like you is impossible to find  
You're impossible to find_

_--_

_FIN.__  
_

_

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_

**Author's Note: **Finally finished? Wow. Can you believe I started this almost two years ago? Where does the time go? Hopefully, it wasn't too hard to follow and all the pieces finally fit together on paper (Everything seems to fit together in my head!). Many thank yous for everyone reading, reviewing and favoriting. Thank you **Catching Rain **for reviewing the last chapter. As cheesy as this sounds, I couldn't have done this without all of you out there who have been interested in this fic. And as always, I hope you enjoyed the fic and I would love to hear from you! Can you really believe it's over? Please review!

**Notes: **

(1) Allusion to **Holes **by Louis Sachar. Song "If Only" sung by Fiction Plane for the Holes movie soundtrack.


	10. Soundtrack and Trivia

**Summary:** Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

**Disclaimer**: Owns neither Digimon nor any of its characters. Song used: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade. Lyrics mildly adjusted to fit the formatting of this fanfic.

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**Author's Note: **Welcome to the Extras/Special Features of this fic! Once again, thank you so much for reading my fic! I hope you enjoyed it. Anyways, this chapter is devoted to a bunch of fun facts about:_** Cursed**_

_**

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**_

**Fun Facts: **

*****So, I where did I get the idea for "Cursed?" Well, if anyone is familiar with Francine Pascell's _Fearless _series, the whole Taichi not feeling fear thing stems partly from that. And well, I was playing with the idea of Tai not being able to feel fear (well, with having the symbol of courage and all), and "Cursed" was born. Of course (for those familiar with the Fearless series), this isn't a story about Gaia—a girl who was born without the fear gene. This is a story about Tai and Yama, or more specifically, Yama's relationship with a brown-eyed boy.

******For Yamato and Takeru's relationship (found more specifically in Chapter 9), I was originally imagining a kinda Dr. House and Wilson relationship for them (you know, from the hit TV show House, starring Hugh Laurie as our favorite doctor). Of course, I'm not sure which is which, but that kinda didn't work, so you have mischievous inquisitive TK with an over-protective Yama.

*******I've also attempted to hide most of the other originally Season 1 digi-destined within the fic. You see Taichi and Yamato early on, and mentions of Takeru (Chapter 2 and Chapter 9). Later you see Mimi (Chapter 6 and Chapter 9) and learn about the truth for Taichi's actions and learn about Hikari (Chapter 7) and in this chapter, you see Sora and Jyou (Chapter 9). Hmmm, and I guess Daisuke gets mentioned earlier in Chapter 9 as well… But besides the seven original digi-destined from Season 1 who make an appearance or at least a cameo in this fic, here's more stuff that happens in the world of this fic that didn't exactly make it into the writing of this story:

a.) In my mind, Mimi (see Chapter 6) who makes a cameo as the nice nurse with the green colored contacts, hooks up with another doctor at the hospital. The blue haired doctor Joe Kido who works at the same hospital and admits that Mimi is a very good nurse. Unlike Kenchi, he doesn't mind all the romance novels she reads.

b.) Izzy actually works at the same building as Hiroaki Ishida does and is actually Hiroaki's boss (See Chapter 4 when little Yamato joins Hiroaki in "Take Your Child to Work Day.") Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to make a cameo like Mimi and Jyou did, but our favorite computer geek is an uber-cool boss.

c.) Yes, that google-head Daisuke who makes a cameo as one of Tai's fanboys who makes Yama jealous earlier this chapter is friends with Yama's insightful little brother (although the two don't/can't fight over Kari because Kari happens to be dead). Daisuke and Takeru are best friends.

(******Side-note:** Yes, Mimi, Joe and Izzy are much older than Tai and Yama and Hikari and Takeru are younger and remain the central characters' natural blood relatives.)

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**Soundtrack: **

**--  
**

[**A/N: **A lot of the time, I find that I draw inspiration from music. While writing this fic, I have been listening to a lot of Secondhand Serenade. The complete list of music I was influenced by is as follows. Note that the playlist isn't in any particular order chronologically to the stuff that happens in the fic although the titles do seem to tell a story. Hmmm....]

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_Empty Apartments _by** Yellowcard**

_The Man Who Can't Be Moved _by** The Script**

_One Year, Six Months_ by **Yellowcard**

_Your Call _by** Secondhand Serenade**

_Hero Heroine _by** Boys Like Girls **

_It's Not Over _by **Secondhand Serenade**

_Stay Close, Don't Go _by** Secondhand Serenade**

_Tested and True _by** Secondhand Serenade**

_Only One _by** Yellowcard_  
_**

_Awake _by** Secondhand Serenade**

_Maybe _by** Secondhand Serenade**

_Believe_ by** Yellowcard  
**

_Broken _by** Secondhand Serenade**

_Back Home_ by** Yellowcard  
**

_Half Alive _by** Secondhand Serenade**

_If Only _by** Fiction Plane**

_Fall For You _by **Secondhand Serenade**

_The Last Song Ever _by **Secondhand Serenade**

**_--  
_**

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A/N: Once again, thank you so much for reading!!!! Whether you enjoyed this fic or not, I would love to hear back from you so please review!


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